Between his pure shotmaking, his dynamic athleticism and the all-court style that ties his game together, there are few sights in men’s tennis as spectacular as Denis Shapovalov at the height of his powers. The question surrounding the Canadian and his future prospects has never been about his ability, but rather whether he can harness those talents and consistently replicate a high level on the biggest stages.
On Sunday afternoon Shapovalov took a step forward in his progression as he produced statistically the best win of his young career by toppling Alexander Zverev, the third seed, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3. It was a notable performance not because of any delirious shotmaking, but rather the calm, disciplined manner in which he dismantled a top player.
